A 200-Year-Old Country Cottage That Won't Sell | Unsellables UK Full Episode 

Agreed! How silly.

I agree but I will say with this specific house that bar and the kitchen wouldve been super daunting to me, like I get it

You'd think, but buyers these days are lazy and unimaginative. We staged our home and sold in 24 hours on the market. People want to buy a lifestyle even if they'll never live that way once they move in.

The tremendous sag on that roof makes me think the bones of this house have osteoporosis.

@@TheWaterMarbler Exactly but if you are distracted by furniture and such you won't see it.

Kelly Ann I liked the white cabinets in the kitchen but that cooktop did need to be replaced. I thought about using the blue white patterned bone china my Mom even has a red white pattern as well. Idk that yellow one. Is it English? Or I hate to ask if its Japanese? 😳

My guess I'd that none of the realtors had the stones necessary to call a spade a spade and TELL her to clean up her dirty kitchen and get rid of that dated animal print. Further, prospective buyers are sometimes unable to see past the tatty decor to envision what COULD be as opposed to what is. I'm wondering if and when the place sold, and for what price.

There isn’t enough fire to get rid of that idiotic leopard print

My mouth fell open when I saw the kitchen 😳😳😳 ewwwww!! Strange decor is bad enough but there's no excuse for the filthy kitchen. There's a lot of potential in the property. The animal print....that's fine if it's just for them. But to try and sell it like that?! Nope. I guess different strokes for different folks 🤷

Show utter contempt for the selling process and you don't deserve a sale. Anyone not cleaning for viewings is showing themselves up...

That is what I saw as well, fix what matters bc people are afraid of the unseen things in an old house

I wouldn’t look twice at it even after the updating.

It looks like the right side of the house is an add-on, could have been decades or a century later - which means the beams weren't as robust and they've sagged some from the weight of that roof. I would certainly have an inspector look at it, but nothing that's a shock being in England instead of the United States.

I agree. Especially in 2008 when everyone's economy was garbage. It was priced too high for the condition it was in.

Agree, the roof is a major concern, if it has a cellar that should also be inspected. It is a massive fixer upper in my opinion.

where???

Exactly my thoughts

I was wondering the same thing.

@@luvkimiko 23:06

Well you probably wouldn’t buy any old properties in the uk. Because it was probably built of green oak, it dries moves and settles. Once settled its stable and will stay that way for several hundred years.

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Yes, I was thinking maybe adding some plants or shrubs to the front of the house that had color - maybe holly or something with bright berries.

Curb appeal on most of these houses is lacking

I'm guessing budget didn't have anymore more room for curtains but I thought the same thing. They also didn't seal that countertop, it will absorb stains in no time but again im assuming the show just threw this stuff together and wasn't going to put money lt time to do it right.

The new dark curtains were an eyesore. Framing the window or door with light drapes would have sufficed. The dining set was ugly.

I know, and green.

Get rid of the guy, and spend time fixing the house up.

Wow, right?

Perhaps the show limits their fixing up to the kitchen, living room, and one bedroom? Imagine an estate wanting to be part of the show just so they wouldn’t have to repaint 20 bedrooms?? 😂

Absolutely agree

Same thing I said. None of them brought up that stove? Or did they just not notice it? Which, both are a failure in being an agent, kitchens sell homes, it needs ro be one of the best looking spots in the house. None thought to advertise in London, either, a very expensive and crowded city (so I've heard, I live in the U.S) to offer a large home with an amazing yard not far away? And views out the window definitely sell locations, too. I'm looking to move into a loft apartment this year and it was the nighttime pictures out the window that helped with my decison. I don't think the agents really care all that much about selling this home (and frankly, if you told me that you're pitting me against two other agents, that would only annoy me, not make me more competitive).

If people pick one agent, as you did, the agent works much harder for you, and is more likely to tell you what needs fixing up. When three agents are given the property the agents really just go through the motions and then put it on the back burner, while they concentrate on and put much more effort into the properties they have an exclusive listing on, because it has much more chance of earning them the commission.

LOL.

I think some of them do, but from what I've seen, the sellers didn't want to do the work.

Yes! Fresh eyes--and noses--will detect things residents no longer notice. Realtors need to have the nerve to speak up. And clients need to accept that it's because they want you to succeed!

They said she was an inspiring designer. Chances are, she refused to change it.

@@steppy3736 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ good grief

Someone else thought it thank god

Indeed!

Yep, he is definitely not the best real estate agent, is he? Or the other 2, most likely - not even telling the owner that it needs some critical updates (especially the kitchen) and even after them the only adjective he thinks of is "cottagey"?

The home of the English language...what is "cottagey"? Mark repeated the word several times. XD A vocabulary echoes intelligence.

It's traditional.

It is traditional as the other commenter stated. My parents 215 year old cottage had black beams, it's what sold it to them and what their buyer bought it upon twenty years later. Obviously other factors involved but that's what gives the internal wow factor for a cottage. Then the fire place. Traditional is what sells cottages and that was glorious country cottage on the outside 💖

@@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars Nicole would have re-finished those beams , not just slapped black paint on them.

Leopard beams for everybody

Zebra beams or giraffe carpeting

The irregular colours of the tiles indicate they are hand made. Tiles in various parts of the kiln take on different colours during the firing. The green oak timbers explain what appears to be a sagging roof line. The timbers were not dried before being used to construct the roof structure. The roof had most likely looked exactly like that for a century or more, and will likely look the same in another century.

@@michaeltutty1540 Depends how rotten they are. Green timbers are an early sign of rot. Sure, they might have been fine the past century, but that doesn't preclude the presence of rot or woodworm. It would need looking at. But yeah, the multi-tonal tiling isn't an issue.

Stettafire "Green timbers are an early sign of rot"? What does that mean?! You have completely misunderstood. The original comment refereed to the roof being constructed from green oak. That's a reference to the fact it is freshly felled, not that's it's actually green in colour. Roofs on properties like this were basically just made from large branches with the bark removed and very roughly shaped. The roof shape was dictated by the shape and curve of the timber- straight, sawn timber would have been hideously expensive and very hard to come by as the majority went for shipbuilding. A wonky roof on an old property isn't necessarily a cause for concern, it may have been like that since new. Provided the tiles are kept in good order and water is kept out it should last hundreds more years.

Brits have their washing machines under the counter in their kitchen. Most are too poor for a laundry closet, much less a laundry room. Middle class is much poorer in Europe.

@@michaeltutty1540 ùùh

Yeah, well she’s been hacking at it for over 30 years and this is the result.... gross

Or move to Florida or Oklahoma where people like it. 😂

Bordello chic I guess, kind of bleh, RIP out the bar RIP up the kitchen and major update. Such potential underneath her ugly styling.

And a commission split three ways regardless. No realtor's gonna hustle for that.

Agreed. Three agents spells desperate and makes the buyer wonder what's wrong. Jon in rural BC, Canada

We've done that with several houses which were ruined by people who didn't understand what they had.

I really wish they left the bar in the kitchen, the stained glass was so gorgeous, and if it was original, :-(

@@rrrreeeeeeEEEEEeEeEeeEeEeeeee That bar was more country cottage than anything they changed. They should have matched everything to that bar

@@rrrreeeeeeEEEEEeEeEeeEeEeeeee the bar was in the lounge, and is definitely not a puller for normal people.

I often wonder why people buy period homes and ruin them. Just buy a modern house if that’s the look you want.

the green kitchen was the wrong choice

Agree on all counts

@@husher5142 - My favorite color (Sherwin-Williams Gallery Green in the US, BTW), but it is an idiosyncratic choice.

Mark Cottagey could not sell it with words. LOL

They are very rubbish. Not just in England, but across the rest of the UK. My own personal experiences: - Allergic to email. They have an email address but all emails are lost to the ether. Will call you for a tiny 2m conversation, when they really, REALLY could have just emailed and not wasted your time - They like rushing things, will rush people through viewings, not really talking up the property at all. - They are bad at marketing. Lots of estate agents take very dingy photos to post on Rightmove, then they do silly things like put the address in ALL CAPS. 44 ADDRESS STREET, COUNTY. They'll also omit important information like the town name. A bigger issue when there are multiple streets with the same name. - They're expensive. They often bolt on extra costs. I paid for a survey done and the estate agent charged extra... to send the survey through email. As in he charged to give us the thing, we had already paid money for. - Some estate agents love back-handers. Often they have a builder on the books who pays more than the commision they'd get on the property. So the estate agent will encourage sellers to sell for less than they would otherwise. - They are often very lazy. It's not uncommon to need to constantly pester them or ring them up because they can't be arsed giving you the information you need. - They are bad at managing appointments. I've had estate agents sell a property then they couldn't be arsed to cancel the viewing, causing me to book time off work for no good reason. In short, they're shit and I'd LOVE to not have to deal with their crap.

@@Stettafire It sounds like you've had some awful experiences... I'm an estate agent and have been since I was 17, so customer service is practically in my roots. I don't have my own business but I love my job, and trust me when I say that knowing I did a good job of the customer experience whether I have delivered a service in the end or not, is the most important thing to me. It's a shame, there's many rogue estate agents out there that unfortunately aren't about the customer. I hope maybe one day a good agent can change your mind :)

TLDR: These houses are too much work for too little reward for agents, given the hot housing market, and difficulty of sale. Keep in mind the time period of this tv series, leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, and how agents work. I can't speak for these UK areas but in general housing was a booming business, with high sales volume and price growth. So the the agents don't really care about these houses, they've got plenty of other "work" to do, easier/more valuable houses to sell with owners that are probably better to work with. It practically costs agents nothing to keep a house on the market, the largest real cost to them is reputation, but if they don't see a reasonable way to sell it profitably they can just let it sit on the market. If the owner is getting upset about it not selling they schedule some more showings then give the same recommendations in this video: clean, decorate for sale, and consider high impact improvements (curb, kitchen, bath etc). The owner is temporarily satisfied but ignores their advice, rinse and repeat. This gets worse over time as the more showings and longer it has been on the market the more burned out the owner and agent are. They end up thinking it's never going to actually sell, put less work in, and in general just go through the motions of selling it as opposed to really working to sell.

@@Stettafire It's a requirement!? Omg. I would be livid if I *had* to pay someone to do the bare minimum to sell a house I own. I'm in the states and it's totally up to the homeowner. In some cases it may be easier to use an agent but nowadays you can find anything on the internet i.e.. what buyers in your area are looking for, quick cosmetic fixes, etc. so unless someone is lazy they can figure out how to sell without an agent. I'm sorry you have to put up with that!

Brandy Bradley It's not a requirement to use an estate agent in the U.K. However, one online portal has come to dominate the market- if your property doesn't feature on it, you massively limit your potential audience. They only accept properties from estate agents, not private sellers. So you're kind of stuck as a seller. Recently, "online only" estate agents have begun to appear. They offer much lower prices but give you the all important listing on Rightmove, the dominant property portal. That's pretty much where their involvement ends in most cases but they cost thousands less than traditional agents. It's still possible to take out a private ad in the local paper but it's not a sensible option if you want to reach a large number of buyers.

Keep in mind that there are 3 Realtors on this one listing. Hard, expensive and risky for one agent to market when there are 2 other agents that could possibly be the one getting the call from the agent that is working hard at marketing the home. I'm sure that the commission will go to the agent that will bring the buyer. I don't think this is a team of agents, it's 3 different brokerage firms, which I find odd. Im curious to know how they brokerage that deal, what listing agent gets the commission and if they all get paid then what is the incentive for any of the realtors to work hard when at the end of the day they will all get paid. The ex is an idiot.

@@SuchaCaligrrl Basically, who ever sells gets the commission. The others lose out. These days most agents tie you into a 3 month solo contract so they get the commission. I can assure you that most British estate agents do not try that hard to market the property! It goes on Rightmove and the agent sits back and waits for the call! Then charges 1-2% for it. That's £5000 on an average property!

@@SuchaCaligrrl The realtors are probably friends of the Ex. One of them will benefit from the sale transaction.

That's Sophie, take the original characters out and replace with cheap and ugly

Yes, however, when I see a kitchen so badly neglected, I have to assume that the rest of the house has been badly neglected which means I'm going to find (potentially) lots of expensive repairs.

Yes.

Yes, they really are. People are stupid.

Yes. They cant see past whats in the room. Presentation is everything in selling a home.

Yes. They truly are. I am still in the business but only consulting, people need to see better than what they have and what's possible with their own items in any home they see while hunting 😊 Thoughts?

Yes I agree! The UK Unsellable programs show filthy homes that the owners should never volunteer to show! I get the willeys watching the UK programs with all the filthy home they deal with!! I've shut off many of the programs when I can't stand the sight of their homes!!

You should see the house in the USA that my son looked at! It looks like someone died on the toilet and no one cleaned it up. The walls are filthy with 30 year old torn wallpaper plaster falling off the ceiling it’s disgusting

That stove hasn't been used in a very long time.

Most British houses were built in the 1930s because of an interwar housing project. We still have houses that are much older and much newer. Most of them were built 1930s though. It was crazy how expansive that housing project was.

@@Stettafire interesting!

Stettafire While it's true we have a large number of houses dating from between the wars, the largest number of homes by era are the Victorian ones. A quarter of all UK housing in use today was build by the victorians. A significant proportion are older still.

In the us, I lived in a house that was over 200 years old. The one I currently live in is 120. It depends on where you live in the US whether or not there are a lot of old hoises around you.

Great Red Spot 120 isn't old though by global standards. It's twentieth century.

I am truly shocked when I see a homeowner present their house in such filthy conditions. Such a shame.

@@biancahotca3244 Me too. Why would anyone leave boxes of junk hidden behind an unused bar, hangers on the floor, or a stove that just grosses people off? When a seller puts their home on the market it is no longer their home, they’re moving somewhere else. The seller in this case needs to realize. that not everyone shares her taste in leopards and zebras.

I totally agree. The homeowner seemed too nonchalant. Being chill and lazy won’t sell your house.

That was a real 😳 home. That kitchen made me 🤢. Repulsive. It seems like quite a few sellers get a shock when they see the end results. On other programs like this one

🤣🤣🤣🤣 Agent: The black beams are cottagey. The green kitchen cabinets are cottagey.

Didnt look cottage-y at all (kitchen had possibility). Looked like it was kidnapped by hippies😢

Yes! What is the point of a walk through when so much of the house we cannot see? Won't watch this program again.

When I was five, I would run through the whole house, wherever we would visit. I felt I had to see every part. I got over it. It’s ok for some things to be a mystery. I presume the other rooms were less unique or troublesome, and they have only so much air time. I do know what you mean though. I like the show format just as it is, though, I must say.

Yes! And the lavatory.

I know! I hate when we only see a partial viewing.

I’ve moved 6 times because of employment opportunities, each time involved lots of hard work cleaning, packing, painting, getting rid of clutter, and de-personalizing. It’s always worth it, because it gets you closer to your target asking price.

@@janicesullivan8942 Exactly ! When I sold my last home, I overhauled the entire place inside. It was a large condo in an expensive area and it had to look great, and appeal to a wide range of buyers. I got my full asking price, which paid for my new home, and I had plenty of cash left to buy new furniture, with still money left to put into my retirement :) Sooooo worth the work . Have a fun and safe weekend ! 💐🍃🌷🌹🌸🍀🌞🌵🏜️💐🌾🌱🌿🐣☔

@@momof2momof2 You did it the right way, good for you!

@@janicesullivan8942 Thank you ! 🐤🌵🌱🌴💐🌷🌻🌞🏜️💗🐣💐🌷🌹🌸

The fabric store sold all its animal print stock to the homeowner.

You understand that it's a very old roof, right? You DO NOT replace something that old with modern rubbish. The patina the roof has (the variety of different colours and textures, as is normal after many decades) is exactly the kind of thing people look for in old houses. Obviously! If people want uniformity and precision, they buy a new house. Obviously!

@@bevcrusher4177 - That roof is likely the primary reason people aren’t making offers. The roofing material looks like asphalt shingles, which do need to be replaced once they begin to wear and curl (which they are). If you don’t, you risk roof leaks and water damage to the property. Given the dip in the roof, it’s possible that’s already happened - a scary thought for potential buyers. Most buyers won’t buy a house with a roof like that unless it’s steeply discounted and they’re prepared to deal with it.

@@bevcrusher4177 i think the roof looks nice and classic, it reminds me of all my favorite folklore. It’s also kind of harry potter-y haha. I wish they left the bar with stained glass in, which everyone else i see commenting is so happy to see gone! That kind of craftsmanship and art shouldn’t just be dispensable and it’s disappointing to see people destroy it like it’s worthless to fit their next interior design trend demand.

@@primabellas6856 those are not asphalt shingles. They are clay tiles, quite likely original to the 200 year old home. What a lot of people, particularly in North America, do not realize is that the roof framing was most often build from green oak, which is not seasoned or dried before being used. Once in place, it dries and shrinks, leading to the appearance of sagging. That roof could quite easily have looked exactly like that for a century at least. What makes me suspect all is well is the absence of cracks in the plaster upstairs. If there was movement in the roof timbers, the walls and ceilings on the first floor would have significant cracking, particularly where the sloping walls meet the dormers.

PrimaBellas We found the clueless American everybody! Asphalt shingles?! Only in America are they used for houses. Here in England we might consider them for a chicken coop. If you can't tell the difference between 200 year old handmade terracotta tiles and the crap you use stateside you really shouldn't comment.

I thought the green kitchen was fantastic I didn't like him putting the white top on the stove it should have been stainless that would have been a lot better and I do think even though I don't care for butcher block that was inexpensive way to update with the paint I just don't think they're doing it as good a job as a lot of decorators and contractors that they have on these home and garden type shows but the kitchen was 100% better than it was when we first saw it and the beams were hideous I agree

Agree, it looks like Halloween and Christmas. Horrible. The beam should have been dark brown and green cabinets are ugh, gross! White or off white would have been nice.

Oh, I disagree... I think it still looked quite nice at the end, it's not supposed to be extremely modern after all

I think the top on that stove should have been stainless just like the oven part but it's certainly looks a thousand percent better the white new top I think they should have cleaned up the outside or somehow put some flowers in there and brighten it up and I think the beans are too dark but certainly a great idea but they were too dark I think for the rest of the house just my preference anyway and I do like dark beams but those just painted like that didn't look good at all me I mean the idea was great too dark

Around 2007 ish there was a big financial crisis. In the UK it badly affected the housing market. Houses just wouldn't sell. In 2008 the affects of this were still being felt. Currently, during the pandemic the opposite has happened. I don't know the exact reasons why but suddenly the market has become very competitive. Now houses are selling at a drop of a hat, thus driving the prices up. I think, while they struggled to sell in 2008, I think they could sell it for a higher price now.

I loved the original sink too. It and the cupboards felt very country cottage to me, and the brickwork in the living room. But that green ... maybe my kitchen needs some paint too

I wondered about the sagging roof too.

Agreed. Major expense to fix the roof!

Old roofs often sag but are usually structurally sound, it is something for the surveyor to look at of course.

I noticed that too but wasn't it the people who live in the middle sections roof that was sagging? How kn earth do you deal with a roof you share with 3 other "homes"? In the states attached homes are not common or popular and mainly only seen in townhouses which yoy see but not a whole lot or in more city type setting with row houses. But when I see them I often wonder how do you deal with a roof that is shared by multiple people?

I agree, the sofa did not go with the cottage theme.

@@OpenSesame33 yes I agree!

Yes, she needs an attorney. Personally, I would just make the decision to go with one agent. What her ex doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

In the US, like Canada, there is a Multiple Listing Service. Vendors go to one agent, who represents them, and the property is advertised through the MLS. When an agent has a client looking for a property in a given area, they check the MLS listings if they are not handling a suitable property themselves. In the US there is zillow.com that lists properties from many real estate agents. In Britain, there is zoopla.co.uk, which serves the same function.

@@michaeltutty1540 I realize I wasn't very clear. I meant that the homeowner hires several agents at the same time to work personally with him or her, not that multiple agents can show a house through the MLS. There's a different relationship. In the first you enter into a written contract with the agent to represent you. This hired agent sets up open houses, advises the seller, sends out mailings, photographs and lists the house, etc. The homeowner can extend the contract for the agent's representation, let the contract expire or even fire him. The second is general as far as a random agent takes an interested party to see a house that was listed by another agent. The random agent represents the buyer, not the seller. I hope this clarifies things. P.S. I found the house we bought 4 months ago on Zillow. The seller's agent took the photos for potential buyers to look at along with writing a description of the property--two story, central air conditioning, school district, etc.--and posted the listing on Zillow. Ugh...I've bought and sold 5 houses and it's a real pain. I've only hired one agent for each house. My Realtors have been good--but some were better than others.

That must have been nice

On my phone I'm watching the show and to me the cabinets look like a sage green so if they're aqua I would say that's horrible but you know they're using a lot of that they're calling it sage green I'm not sure I would but it's a much much prettier green that they're doing a lot of and the year 2022 but putting a white top on a stainless oven was ridiculous but it looks a heck of a lot better than I did when we walked in there so to speak when we got a scene in the kitchen it was just awful but I agree a deep clean would have been amazing

He did not used to be on the show. Sophie used to do the show alone with a "contractor" and you got to see more of the home transformation going along. I have never seen him as an asset and on YT I skip over his bits straight away.

@@kathygrant39 I like the ones with the contractor a lot more. They help make the home more sellable. This guy trots around town showing the markets in town, the school district or the rear view out of the upstairs windows (a farmer's field? so what). The show should stick to making the homes as attractive as possible.

The little guy fannying around is a useless waste of time and I just skip him. I'd rather see more of the house renos.

@@kathygrant39 me too

@@kaynucklehead1633 He's the reason it will sell.

Roof inspection and write it in the offer, request for replacement or reduced to include labor and cost of replacing.

@@anniehovsepian6173 that's exactly what I would suggest 😊

Agreed. You would aspouse the room size, storage space, functional kitchen, bathrooms, original features, good location, etc. "Cottagey" could mean anything.

@@Stettafire Cottagey sounds like cottage cheese.

And filthy with a sagging roof.

I've always wondered that too. I wish they gave a whole tour at the end of the shows-all the shows.

@@Stephanie-lg1cm Yes, my guess is if the kitchen was a swamp heap, so was the bathroom shower and/or tub.

Exactly, that roof was definitely questionable and well be a definite no for buyers.

The roof yes, the maze of rooms thing? It all depends on how/if it was remodelled. Originally the layout would have been stupidly simple. It all depends on how good a job was done when creating the indoor bathroom. Otherwise, I agree. get rid of the leapord print, clean the kitchen so it's hygenic, declutter and price competitively and get a single decent estate agent (not three, good grief) and it'll sell no problem. The hygiene and the roof issues are the problem.

An obtrusive plant compensated for the old bar. Both were unnecessary decor features.

The bar did not look original to me. It came down way too easy and wasn't old stone like the fireplace. Looked like a 70's add.

Yes, that interior was awful. Only the kitchen worked.

Not true. The woman does have taste - bad taste😏 I am sure someone else must like the quirkiness. Elvis Presley and Liberace had massive amounts of income, but their homes were only accepted because of their fame.

@@tastx3142 nobody accepted it, they mocked it because it was ridiculous, but it was popular because they were famous and so very easy to mock.

Flipping houses is not so easy in the UK, values are high and there are normally many people watching every property. If this was worth flipping, someone would have bought it. Being a period property and requiring quality materials and workmanship can mean that renovation costs far exceed the increase in value.

This show is almost 15 years old. Crazy how much tastes have changed! I prefer smaller houses myself, less to clean.

When I was younger I couldn't get past ugly style or messy rooms. Now that I'm older I am able to imagine the rooms w/o all that stuff.

Sadly, yes. People cannot get past certain things. I must say that the stove made the kitchen look terrible.

I know right? Must have been something else.

Yes most people seriously cannot see past what they see and imagine what it could be. Plus, when you see the sight of that kitchen and stuff strewn behind a bar, it makes you wonder how well the house has been kept up and how much you may have to fix that you aren't seeing.

At the end of the show, the narrator stated that “four weeks later, the ex-husband...” still wanted 3 agents. I believe the ex-husband doesn’t REALLY want to sell. He wants his ex-wife STUCK. Would the 3 agents have to split the commission if it sells?

@@moniquehorton1111 yes the 3 agents would split the commission. Ex is a jerk!

Same! My heart hurt when I saw them break it apart

I wish they had put it back up in the back yard. That would have been a great selling feature.

She is an actor and presenter, and former realtor. 🤩🤩🤩

Hob was brown enamel, not stainless steel. Look again. It was right out of the 80's

It needed replacing. There isn’t a clean deep enough. Awful!

@@jeannegayle6365 The hob was one of the many eyesores.